Monday, April 18, 2005
This Week's Schiavo Round-up
MEDIA
Best of the Web Today pointed out these two headlines last week. They are frightening and ironic at the same time:
U.S. Executions by Lethal Injection May Not Be Humane
Experts Say Ending Feeding Can Lead to a Gentle Death
Was it even necessary to print this story. I for one never thought she was abused in the classic sense, I did think it was a great ploy to try and forstall her execution. But this statement, "Schiavo's husband has denied harming his wife." I guess removing nutirition and hydration leading to her death does not count as harm.
It is funny how the polls change when the fight is over and the actual facts become apparent. The Zogby poll from early last week is enlightening. Here is some great commentary on the poll from Cheat Seeking Missles -- Football fans For Truth -- Michelle Malkin.
POLITICS
Most of the politics related to this this week have surrounded ending the filibuster on judicial appointment. You can follow that fight almost daily through this blog. There are a couple of other items though.
Howard Dean says the Dems are going to make the Schiavo case an election issue. Howard seems to be stepping in it pretty much daily. Powerline has some things to say about 'ol Howard and his "threats."
I'm with Blogicus on this who is quoting David Limbaugh. This case has woken many people up to the state of certain issues in the country. If Dean wants to use this for an election issue, we are likely to beat him like a drum on it.
LEGAL
Pro-Life Blogs carried a great piece this week on Living Wills. I am not quite as avid about it as they are, but it is very informative reading and great food for thought.
FOXNEws carried a piece this past week on the importance of defining what is a disability and what is not. The artcile is more abou tthe PC garbage of "claiming your disability" as it were, but the question is a danged important one.
California is on the verge of passing an assisted suicide law. Probabaly need to get busy lobbying about this one.
ETHICS
ProLifeBlogs also carried a piece this week about diagnosis or misdiagnosis of PVS. I really hate this diagnosis. I have heard the terms for years and had alwasy heard the word "unconcious" associated with it. When I hear that word, I associate it with a state resembling sleep -- eyes closed, resting. Apparently the powers that be have stretched the word now to include "non-cognitive" which is when they think a person is "awake" but not thinking somehow. That is way to loose for me.
This has set me to thinking about what circumstances, precisely, would I accept what happened to Terri. Here is some ideas:
Best of the Web Today pointed out these two headlines last week. They are frightening and ironic at the same time:
U.S. Executions by Lethal Injection May Not Be Humane
Experts Say Ending Feeding Can Lead to a Gentle Death
Was it even necessary to print this story. I for one never thought she was abused in the classic sense, I did think it was a great ploy to try and forstall her execution. But this statement, "Schiavo's husband has denied harming his wife." I guess removing nutirition and hydration leading to her death does not count as harm.
It is funny how the polls change when the fight is over and the actual facts become apparent. The Zogby poll from early last week is enlightening. Here is some great commentary on the poll from Cheat Seeking Missles -- Football fans For Truth -- Michelle Malkin.
POLITICS
Most of the politics related to this this week have surrounded ending the filibuster on judicial appointment. You can follow that fight almost daily through this blog. There are a couple of other items though.
Howard Dean says the Dems are going to make the Schiavo case an election issue. Howard seems to be stepping in it pretty much daily. Powerline has some things to say about 'ol Howard and his "threats."
I'm with Blogicus on this who is quoting David Limbaugh. This case has woken many people up to the state of certain issues in the country. If Dean wants to use this for an election issue, we are likely to beat him like a drum on it.
LEGAL
Pro-Life Blogs carried a great piece this week on Living Wills. I am not quite as avid about it as they are, but it is very informative reading and great food for thought.
FOXNEws carried a piece this past week on the importance of defining what is a disability and what is not. The artcile is more abou tthe PC garbage of "claiming your disability" as it were, but the question is a danged important one.
California is on the verge of passing an assisted suicide law. Probabaly need to get busy lobbying about this one.
ETHICS
ProLifeBlogs also carried a piece this week about diagnosis or misdiagnosis of PVS. I really hate this diagnosis. I have heard the terms for years and had alwasy heard the word "unconcious" associated with it. When I hear that word, I associate it with a state resembling sleep -- eyes closed, resting. Apparently the powers that be have stretched the word now to include "non-cognitive" which is when they think a person is "awake" but not thinking somehow. That is way to loose for me.
This has set me to thinking about what circumstances, precisely, would I accept what happened to Terri. Here is some ideas:
- There must be a writing
- The writing must be signed not only by the patient, but also by the patient's immediate relatives. That means, you want this you have to negotiate it in advance with your spouse, children, and parents. If they all have not agreed with you in advance, no go.
- The current definition of PVS is inadequate, it must either be limited and made far more precise, or these actions must be limited to a "comatose" state.
- Legally, it must be established that a feeding tube does not constitute extraordinary medical intervention
- Removal of a feeding tube is an unacceptable means of producing death. If the above conditions are met, then death must be brought on by lethal injection or other humane, immediate means.
Those are just some of my thoughts, what are yours?
